1. Interpreting What We Read
The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
PART 3
Interpreting What We Read
Chapter 6
Figurative Language
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

2. The Art of Critical Reading The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
Figurative Language
Figurative language (otherwise known as figures of speech) makes a comparison between two or more unlike things, stating or implying that one is similar to the other.
Similes, metaphors, and personification are common kinds of figurative language.
Chapter 6: Figurative Language 2
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

3. The Art of Critical Reading The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
A simile is a figure of speech that uses like, as, or as if to make the comparison.
A metaphor directly connects two unlike things without using like, as, or as if.
In a metaphor, one thing is spoken of as though it were something else.
Personification is figurative language that assigns human attributes or feelings to a nonhuman subject.
Chapter 6: Figurative Language 3
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

4. The Art of Critical Reading The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
The Use of Symbols
A symbol is a person, object, or event that stands for something beyond its literal meaning.
A good symbol captures in a simple form a more complicated reality.
For example, a white dove symbolizes peace and a skull symbolizes death.
Writers use symbols to create a mood, to reinforce a theme, or to communicate an idea.
Chapter 6: Figurative Language 4
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

5. The Art of Critical Reading The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
Imagery
Imagery is language that has a sensory quality. It can appeal to any of the five senses—sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell.
A good reader must not only be able to recognize imagery, but also understand the author’s intent in presenting it.
Chapter 6: Figurative Language 5
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

6. The Art of Critical Reading The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
Test-taking Tip
Taking Multiple-Choice Tests
When taking a multiple-choice test, try applying these tips:
1. Pay close attention to oral and written directions.
2. Don’t spend too much time on any one question.
3. For each question, read through all of the answers before choosing one.
4. Don’t change an answer unless you are quite sure you have found a better one.
5. If one of your choices is a combination of two or more answers (such as both A and B), both parts of the answer must be correct.
6. A longer answer is more likely to be correct than a shorter answer.
7. Avoid answers with all-inclusive words like all, always, everyone, none, and nobody because they are likely to be wrong.
Chapter 6: Figurative Language 6
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

7. The Art of Critical Reading The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
Vocabulary
This unit introduces word parts related to direction and motion.
 vert—turn; con—with; in--not, opposite, into, within
avert
a means “from,” and vert means “turn,” so the literal meaning of avert is “to turn from.”
invert
Here in means “opposite,” so when you invert something you are turning it upside down.
vertigo
a dizzy feeling, especially the feeling that everything is spinning around.
Chapter 6: Figurative Language 7
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

8. The Art of Critical Reading The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
subvert
to overturn or undermine something established.
convert
to turn from one form, use, or belief to another. As a noun, con’vert, with the stress on the first syllable, means a person who has changed from one belief or religion to another.
divert
to turn aside.
versatile
able to turn with ease from one thing to another.
vertebra(e)
any one of the bones that make up the spinal column, or backbone.
Chapter 6: Figurative Language 8
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

9. The Art of Critical Reading The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
mis, mit—send; re--back; again; dis--apart; away; ad--toward
mission
a special duty or errand that a person or group is sent to do by a church, government, or other entity. A place where a group of missionaries live and work.
admit
Ad means “toward,” so the literal meaning of admit is to “send toward, or to let go.”
submissive
willing to give in or obey another; humble or obedient.
Chapter 6: Figurative Language 9
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

10. The Art of Critical Reading The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
remit (remission)
Re means “back or again.” Remit means “to send back,” or “to let go.”
intermission
a stopping for a time; an interruption. The original meaning of the word was to “send between.”
intermittent
stopping and starting again from time to time.
dismiss
Dis means “away,” so the literal meaning of dismiss is “to send away, or to tell or allow to leave.”
Chapter 6: Figurative Language 10
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

11. The Art of Critical Reading The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
emissary
A person sent on a special mission.
emit
to send out or give forth.
ven—come; circum—around
prevent
to keep from happening; to stop. The literal meaning is “to come before or to act in anticipation of.”
convention
a meeting of members or delegates from various places. The literal meaning is “coming with.”
Chapter 6: Figurative Language 11
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

12. The Art of Critical Reading The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
circumvent
to get around often by using sly or tricky methods.
se--apart; away from
separate
to keep or put apart.
seclude
to keep away from others; to remove from social contact. Clude is derived from claudere, meaning “to shut, or close.” The literal meaning for seclude is “to close away from.”
segregation
the practice of keeping people of different religious, racial, or ethnic groups apart from each other.
Chapter 6: Figurative Language 12
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

13. The Art of Critical Reading The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
sequ (secut)--following
consecutive
following in a regular order without a break.
sequence
one thing following after another.
sequel
a literary or film work that takes up and continues
the narrative of a preceding work.
consequence
the effect, result, or outcome of something occurring earlier.
Chapter 6: Figurative Language 13
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

14. The Art of Critical Reading The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
dia—through, across, apart, thoroughly; pro—forward; log(ue)—speech, word
diagonal
Gonia means “angle,” so diagonal means
“connecting two non-adjacent angles.”
It also means “going across in a slanting direction.”
dialect
a form of language that is used only in a certain place
or with a certain group.
lect means “to speak,” so the literal meaning is “to speak across.”
Chapter 6: Figurative Language 14
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

15. The Art of Critical Reading The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
dialog(ue)
conversation between two or more persons; an exchange of ideas or opinions on a particular issue with a view to reaching a friendly agreement.
diagnosis
Gnosis means “to know,” so a diagnosis means “to thoroughly examine or know all the facts to determine the nature of a disease.”
prognosis
Pro is a prefix meaning “forward,” so a prognosis is a forecast or prediction of how a disease will probably develop in a person and what the chances are that the person will get well.
progressive
moving forward. His progressive improvement in math is impressive.
Chapter 6: Figurative Language 15
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

16. The Art of Critical Reading The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
duc--lead in--into
reduce
to lead back; to decrease.
abduction
to take someone away forcefully; a kidnapping. The literal meaning is “to lead away.”
conduct
to lead or guide.
conducive
helping to bring about; contributing.
Chapter 6: Figurative Language 16
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

17. The Art of Critical Reading The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
The Art of Critical Reading
Mather ▪ McCarthy
seduce
to lead away, lead astray.
deduct
to lead away; subtract
induce
to lead or move by persuasion or influence; to bring about or cause.
Chapter 6: Figurative Language 17
© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.